Remote control signaling system



Nov. 19, 1963 M. MASSELL ETAL 3,

REMOTE CONTROL SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed March 10. 1960 r N K E ll. S!

a a El q- T N (D E?" Y? a g INVENTORS EDWARD M. MASSELL MELVIN M. MAY

GEORGE J. MEYER JR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,111,653 REMOTECONTROL SIGNALING SYSTEM Edward M. Massell, Red Bank, Melvin M. May,Mamasquan, and George J. Meyer, Jr., Monmouth Beach,

N.J., assignors to Electronic Associates Inc., Long Branch, NJ., acorporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 10, 1960, Ser. No. 14,077 3 Claims.(Cl. 346-176) This invention relates generally to remote controlsignaling systems and more particularly to such systems in which'asingle relay can be operated at a time in response to a particularsignal corresponding to that relay.

As remote signaling systems become more and more complex and areoperated over greater and greater distances, the need to effectoperation of these systems with a minimum number of circuit componentsand with a minimum amount of control and signal wiring becomes morepronounced. Various schemes, such as coded relays and coded signalsources, have been resorted to in an attempt to minimize the amount ofwiring that must be utilized to connect the remote location to acontrolling source. Although such systems are quite satisfactory fortheir intended purpose, their over-all usefullness is degraded by therequirement of an expensive signal source and equally expensiveapparatus at the remote location.

The present signaling system, to be described as being adapted forselecting any one of plural relays at a remote position, utilizesreadily available and inexpensive components which are controlled from areadily available and inexpensive D.C. source. According to the presentinvention any one of n relays at a remote location can be energized froma DC. signal source through the use of only 11/2 signaling conductors.

In the preferred embodiment .n relay coils, to be located at a remotelocation, are connected in a closed loop. Another closed loop comprisingn diodes, each respectively corresponding to one of the n relay coils,is provided at the remote location with each of the diodes beingconnected in shunt circuit to the corresponding relay coil. n/2conductors operatively connect the n diodes and n relays to a source ofoperating potential and are adapted to be selectively energizedtherefrom in selected pairs to cause energization of any one of therelay coils.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention toselectively energize any one of n remote relay coils from a DC. sourcethrough the use of only n/2 conductors.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel selectionsystem for electrical-to-rnechanical transducers which utilizesinexpensive and simple components.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a novel selectionsystem for electrical-to-mechanical transducers which materially reducesdetrimental arcing which may occur at switch contacts within the system.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparentfrom the following description taken in connection with the singleFIGURE of the accompanying drawing illustrating an embodiment of thisinvention.

In the figure there is shown a plurality of similarelectrical-to-mechanical transducers, such as relay coils 10. The coilsare connected in a series circuit arrangement to form a closed loop andare preferably disposed at a remote controlling or telemeteringlocation. Each of the relay coils 16 may respectively correspond to asuitable physical quantity or device, not shown, which is to be measuredand/ or controlled.

A plurality of asymmetrical conducting devices, such as the diodes 12,each respectively corresponding to one of the relay coils 1b areconnected in series circuit arrangement in a closed loop. Each diode 12and its corresponding relay coil 10 are connected in parallel, andfurthermore each diode is connected in an opposite sense to eachadjacent diode in the closed loop.

As illustrated in the figure, the relay coils 10 and correspondingdiodes 12 are grouped in pairs, designated as A, B, C, D, E, and F, eachpair being controlled by similar suitable switch means, designated at14A through 141? inclusive. Each of the switch means 14, only one shownin detail, preferably comprises a manually operateddouble-pole-double-throw switch, the movable pole portions 18, 20 ofwhich are suitably connected across a source of DC. potential 16.Alternatively, the several pairs of diode coils 1t) and correspondingdiodes 12 may be energized through a single suitable electromagneticstepping switch, not shown, to perform the switching operations to bedescribed. Each pair of diagonally opposed stationary pole portions ofeach of the switch means 14 is interconnected, and in turn connectedacross a pair of the coils 1th and diodes 12 by a pair of signalingconductors 22, 24. The switch means 14 are each located at a convenientcontrolling position which may be disposed at some considerable distancefrom the remote controlled location.

Assuming that each of the switch means 14 are in an inactive position,viz, none of the movable pole portions 18, 20 engage any of thestationary pole portions, and it is desired to select or energize, forexample the right hand relay coil 10 corresponding to pair A, it willbecome apparent that the movable pole portions 18, 20 of switch means14a need only be closed upon the left hand stationary pole portionsthereof. In this condition of switch means 14A, a positive potentialfrom the source 16 is applied to the corresponding conductor 24 and anegative potential is applied to the corresponding conductor 22. Thispotential, it is apparent, is now applied across the relay coils 10corresponding to pair A as well as to the relay coils 10 correspondingto pairs B, C, D, E, and F connected in series. As determined by theoperating characteristics ofthe relay coils 10, corresponding diodes 12,and the number n of each of these respective components, the operatingpotential from the source 16 is selected to be great enough to energizethe selected relay coil, and yet be of an insuflicient amplitude toenergize any unselected relay coil. Thus, if the potential amplitude Vis selected to energize a selected relay coil, the potential amplitudeshould be of an insufiicient amplitude to energize an unselected relaycoil.

With the potential V of the described polarity applied across relay coil10 corresponding to pair A, the right hand diode 12 will be biased to anon-conductive condition, and a current conducting path will be providedbetween the conductors 22, 24 via the left hand diode 12 and the righthand relay coil 10. Right hand relay coil 10 of pair A is accordinglyenergized or selected and it will remain energized so long as themovable pole portions 18, 2t) of switch means 14a is not altered inposition.

In order to deenergize the right hand relay coil 10, the movable poleportions 18, 20 of switch means 14a are merely returned to a neutral ordisengage position relative to the corresponding stationary poleportions.

As is well known, the counter E.M.F.s produced in the right hand coil 10immediately upon opening of the switch means 14a will producedestructive arcing at the pole portions 18, 20 thereof unless means areprovided to suppress the influence of these potentials. It has beenfound that the arrangement of the diodes 12 in the circuit of thepresent invention admirably and automatically eliminates this arcing.Considering for the moment the condition of the right hand coil 10immediately upon the opening of the switch means 14A, it is apparentthat if an excessive counter tends to be produced it will cause thepreviously non-conducting right hand diode 12 to conduct. Accordingly,the effect of the conduction of this diode is to provide a short circuitacross the right hand coil 10 and prevent the occurrence of arcing atthe pole portions of switch means 14A.

It is important to note that the potential should be completely removedfrom the coils between selections so that a previously selected coil 10will be completely deenergized before the potential is appliedthereacross. Although this potential is selected to be of aninsufficient amplitude to energize an unselected coil, it may be of asufficient amplitude to maintain a coil energized. As is Well known,suitable interlock means can be provided between the individual switchmeans 14A through 14F to prevent simultaneous closure of a pair of theswitch means.

When it is desired to select the left hand relay coil corresponding topair A, the movable portions 18, 20 of switch means 14A are moved toengage the right hand stationary pole portion thereof and apply apositive potential to conductor 22 and a negative potential to theconductor 24. As is apparent, the left hand diode 12 is now renderednon-conductive and a current conducting path is provided between theconductors 22, 24 through the left hand relay coil 10 and the right handdiode 12. Upon interruption of this circuit, the counter produced in theenergized coil is short circuited by the previously non-conducting lefthand diode 12.

In a similar manner, any one of the n relay coils It) can be selectivelyenergized and deenergized by selective manipulation of the switch means14A through 14F.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown anddescribed herein and inasmuch as the invention is subject to manyvariations, modifications and reversals of parts, it is intended thatall matter herein be considered as illustrative and not in a limitedsense.

We claim:

1'. In a relay selection system, the combination comprising meansincluding an even number n of at least 4 relay coils connected in aseries circuit arrangement to form a closed loop, a unidirectionalconducting device connected across each of said relay coils withadjacent unidirectional conducting devices being connected in anopposite polarity sense, whereby adjacent relay coils are polarized tobe energized in an opposite sense, n/Z conductors each having one endconnected to alternate junctions of said relay coils, and switch meansselectively connecting a source of operating potential in one of twopolarity senses to the other ends of particular ones of selected pairsof said n/2 conductors whereby current flows in either one or anopposite direction therethrough for energizing any one of said n relaycoils.

2. In a relay selection system, the combination comprising an evennumber n of at least 4 relay coils connected in a series circuitarrangement to form a closed loop, unidirectional conducting meansconnected in shunt to each of said It relay coils whereby alternaterelay coils are polarized to be energized in an opposite sense, 11/2conductors each having one end connected to alternate junctions of saidrelay coils, and means selectively connecting a source of DC. potentialto the other ends of selected pairs of adjacent conductors to apply suchdirection to said DC. potential as to permit current to flow in eitherone or an opposite direction therethrough for energizing any one of said11 relay coils.

3. In a relay selection system, the combination comprising an evennumber of at least 4 relay coils connected in a series circuitarrangement to form a closed loop, a diode element connected in shuntcircuit to each said relay coils with alternate diode elements poled inan opposite sense, n/ 2 conductors each having one end connected toalternate junctions of said elements, and switch means selectivelyconnecting a source of operating potential in one of two polarity sensesto the other end of particular ones of selected pairs of said n/2conductors for selectively energizing any one of said 12 relay coils.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,424,243 Lowell July 22, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 337,896 Great BritainNov. 13, 1930

1. IN A RELAY SELECTION SYSTEM, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING MEANSINCLUDING AN EVEN NUMBER N OF AT LEAST 4 RELAY COILS CONNECTED IN ASERIES CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENT TO FORM A CLOSED LOOP, A UNIDIRECTIONALCONDUCTING DEVICE CONNECTED ACROSS EACH OF SAID RELAY COILS WITHADJACENT UNIDIRECTIONAL CONDUCTING DEVICES BEING CONNECTED IN ANOPPOSITE POLARITY SENSE, WHEREBY ADJACENT RELAY COILS ARE POLARIZED TOBE ENERGIZED IN AN OPPOSITE SENSE, N/2 CONDUCTORS EACH HAVING ONE ENDCONNECTED TO ALTERNATE JUNCTIONS OF SAID RELAY COILS, AND SWITCH MEANSSELECTIVELY CONNECTING A SOURCE OF OPERATING POTENTIAL IN ONE OF TWOPOLARITY SENSES TO THE OTHER ENDS OF PARTICULAR ONES OF SELECTED PAIRSOF SAID N/2 CONDUCTORS WHEREBY CURRENT FLOWS IN EITHER ONE OR ANOPPOSITE DIRECTION THERETHROUGH FOR ENERGIZING ANY ONE OF SAID N RELAYCOILS.